Automatic take-up motion for looms



May 17, 1932.

' J. M. GRAEF AUTOMATIC TAKE-UP MOTION FOR LOOMS I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 29. 1931 May 17, 1932. .1. M. GRAEF AUTOMATIC TAKE-UP MOTION FOR 'LOOMS Filed Jan. 29. 1931 3 Shgets-Sheet .2

May 17, 1932. J. M. GRAEF 1,859,034

I AUTOMATIC TAKE-UP MOTION FOR LOOMS Filed Jan. 29, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 fiiuznim Patented May 17, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE JOHN M. GRAEF, 0F NEENAH, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T0 vAt EYm'oN worms coivr- PANY, or APPLETON, wrscoivsrn, A coaronarron or WISCONSIN AUTOMATIC TAKE-UP Morrow ron LOOMS Application filed January 29, 1931. Serial No. 512,054.

This invention relates to an automaticta-ke-up motion for looms, and has been designed more particularly for use on wire weaving looms used in the manufacture of wire screen fabric.

In order to weave a perfect wire screen, a uniform tension must be maintained on the warp wires, and the take-up must bein proportion to the let-off. The woven wire screen is automatically Wound on the cloth beam, and as the diameter of the cloth roll increases, due to the increasing number of turns of the woven screen wound on the same, the take-up movement must decrease in order to maintain uniform tension on the warp wires. 2 I The take-up motion of the present invention has been specially designed for this purpose, and does not require any adjustments, as it will automatically adjust itself to compensate for the increase of the cloth roll diameter. -The object of the invention is accomplished through the employment of a weighted differential bevel gear movement in the cloth beam drive, which latter is so geared that the take-up movement is always greater than the let-off movement, in order to maintain the proper tension on the warp wires; the differential bevel gear movement operating to intermitently interrupt the cloth beam drive when the tension exceeds the required or proper tension, and itself to accommodate the take-up beam at the proper tension determined by its weight, and to then re-establish the drive of the cloth beam.

The invention, its mode of operation, and the practical advantages inherent there-in will be readily understood by persons skilled in the art as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated one practical embodiment of the principle of the invention which, in practice, has been found to satisfactorily effectuate the purpose thereof, and in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a wire weaving loom, omitting the usual heddles, having my improvement applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan section, broken out, on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. r

Fig. 4 is a detail section on the line 4. 1 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates as an entirety one of the usual skeleton side frames of the loom, the opposite frame being a substantial duplicate thereof. 11 designates the warp let-off beam journaled in suitable bearings 12 at the rear of the machine frame, and 13 designates the cloth beam journaled in suitable bearings 14 at the front end of the machine frame. The warp wires indicated by TV are led over suitable guide rolls 15 and 16 on the upper rear and front corners of the frame, all as usual in looms of this type.

17 (Fig. 2) designates a continuously driven power shaft, loose on which is a spur gear 18 having on one face thereof one member 19 of a friction clutch. Splined on the shaft 17 isthe cooperating clutch member 20. Fast on one end of shaft 17 is a forked crank arm 21, best shown in Fig. 1, in which is mounted a rotatable screw 22 that engages with a slidable block 23 guided in the slot of the arm, said block having a wrist pin 24 to which is connected one end of a link 25. The other end of link 25 is pivotally connected to a ratchet lever 26 that carries a pawl 27, said pawl intermittently driving a ratchet wheel 28 keyed on a horizontal shaft 29. As shown in Fig. 3, the other end of the shaft 29 has keyed thereon a initre gear 30 which drives a similar gear 31 keyed to the lower end of a vertical shaft 32. This shaft 32, as best shown in Fig. 1, has fast thereon a worm 33, engaging and driving a worm wheel 34 that is fast on the warp let-oif beam 11. One revolution ofthe crank 21 will let off sufficient wire from the warp beam for a desired mesh for which the stroke of the crank arm 21 has been set, by adjustment of the block 23 on the screw 22.

Describing now the take-up drive of the cloth beam 13, the gear 18 which, as stated, is loose on drive shaft 17 ,meshes with an underlying spur gear 35 that, as shown in Fig. 3, is keyed on the hub 36 of a bevel gear .36,

said bevel gear and its hub being loose on a horizontal shaft 37 that is journaled at its ends in suitable standards 38 on the side frames of the machine. Keyed on shaft 37 is an oppositely facing bevel gear 39 of the same size as the bevel gear 36. Loosely mounted on shaft 37 between the bevel gears 36 and 39 is a radially extending arm 40 which, as best shown in Fig. 1, is formed with a Vertical loop portion 40', and extending through this loop portion and journaled in and projecting beyond the arm 40 is an arm 41, the inner end portion of which serves as a bearing for a bevel pinion 42 that meshes with the bevel gears 36 and 39. On the pro-- jecting outer end of arm 41 is a weight 43, the position of which on the arm may be adjusted by a set screw 44 to adjust the tension of the warp wires to just the amount desired or required. Keyed on shaft 37 is a mitre gear 45 that drives a similar gear 46 fast on one end of a horizontal shaft 47. This latter shaft has keyed thereon a worm 48 that meshes With and drives a worm wheel 49 fast on the cloth take-up beam 13.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the drive of the cloth take-up beam 13 from the drive shaft 17, with the friction clutch 19, 20 thrown in, is through spur gears 18 and 35 to bevel gear 36, thence through bevel pinion 42 to bevel gear 39, the latter of course rotating in a reverse direction to bevel gear 36, thence through shaft 37 mitre gears 45 and 46, shaft 47, worm. 48 and worm wheel 49 to the cloth beam 13. And since the weight 43 and bevel pinion 42 are free to rise and fall during the drive, the actual tension on the Warp wires is determined and held substantially constant by the weight 43. As the diameter of the cloth roll increases, the weight 43 and bevel pinion 42 will gradually rise, gradually decreasing the speed of rotation of the cloth take-up beam 13 to compensate for the increasing diameter of the cloth roll, until, at a certain point, the weighted arm carrying the bevel pinion will trip out the friction clutch 19, 20, and momentarily arrest the take-up motion. The clutch trip out herein consists of the following. Referring to Fig. 2, 50 designates an elbow lever, the depending arm of which engages with and shifts the clutch member 20. From the horizontal arm of this lever depends a rod 51 that extends through a hole in the outer end of a lateral arm 52 on the Weighted arm 40. Keyed on rod 51 a short distance above the arm 52 is a collar 53, and slidable on the rod 51 below the arm 52 is a collar 54 resting upon a spiral spring 55, which latter is stepped on a collar 56 fixed on the lower end of rod 51. The spring 55 is simply a cushioning spring to provide an elastic downward thrustof the rod 51 by the arm 52 when the clutch is being engaged, to avoid an abrupt re -starting of the cloth roll winding transmission.

By reference to Figs. 3 and 4 it will be seen that keyed on the hub 36 of bevel gear 36 is a ratchet wheel 57, with which cooperates a stop pawl 58.

Describing the operation, as the winding of the cloth on the beam 13 proceeds, the tension on the warp wires is maintained constant by the weight 43 which, as previously stated, gradually rises as the diameter of the cloth roll increases. When, however, the weight and its arm have risen to a point where the arm 52 strikes and raises the contact collar 53, the clutch 19, 20 is thrown out and the drive of the take-up beam is temporarily arrested. At this point the pawl 58 cooperates with the ratchet 57 to prevent the weighted arm 40 from dropping instantly, so that, with the bevel gear 36 thus held against backward movement, the weight 43 gradually moves downward and, through bevel pinion 42 and bevel gear 39 picks up and continues the operation of the cloth roll drive until the arm 52 strikes the lower collar 54 and, through the cushioning spring 55 and collar 56, draws down the rod 51 and throws in the clutch. The bevel gear 36 is then again positively driven, and the bevel pinion 42 transformed from a driving member (energized by the weight 43) to a transmission member, and, as the diameter of the cloth roll again gradually increases, the weighted arm 40 is again drawn upwardly, and the described cycle of operations is repeated.

By the mechanism herein disclosed, the proper tension on the warp wires is constantly maintained, notwithstanding the gradual increase in the diameter of the cloth roll, and without requiring any adjustments to compensate for what would otherwise be a steadily increasing tension on the warp wires. As stated, the weight 43 functions to maintain. the tension substantially constant at all times; and since, the instant the clutch is thrown out, the weight assumes and performs the function of operating the take-up drive until the clutch is again thrown in, the operation of the take-up drive is substantially continuous until a full diameter roll has been wound up on the take-up beam 13.

\Vhile I have herein shown and described one simple and practical embodiment of the principle of the invention, it is manifest that the details of structure and organization may be widely varied without departing from the underlying mechanical principle of the invention or sacrificing any of the its advantages. Hence, the invention is not to be understood to be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed for purposes of illustration, but it is to be interpreted as broadly as the appended claims and the state of the art permit.

I claim:

1. In a warp feed for looms, the combination with let-off mechanism, of take-up mechanism so geared as to always have a greater movement than that of the let-off mechanism said take-up mechanism including a weightcontrolled differential movement responsive to variations in tension on the warp, a clutch in the drive of said take-up mechanism, and

"means actuated by an element of said differenti al movement for shifting said clutch.

2. In a warp feed for looms, the combination with let-off mechanism, of take-up mechanism so geared as to always have a greater movement than that of the let-ofi' mechanism; said take-up mechanism including a weightcontrolled differential movement responsive to variations in tension on the warp, a clutch in the drive of said take-up mechanism, and means actuated by an element of said differential movement for alternately shifting said clutch out and in.

3. In a warp feed for looms, the combination with let-0H mechanism, of take-up mechanism so geared as to always have a greater movement than that of the let-off mechanism; said take-up mechanism including a weight-controlled differential movement responsive to variations in tension on the warp, a clutch in the drive of said take-up mechanism, and means actuated by an element of said differential movement for alternately shifting said clutch out and in; said differential movement functioning to automatically maintain a substantially uniform tension on the warp and also to drive the takeup beam while said clutch is out.

4:- In a warp take-up mechanism for looms, the combination with a take-up beam, and a drive shaft, of a counter-shaft, a pair of bevel gears, one loose and the other fast on said counter-shaft, transmission gearing from said drive shaft to said loose bevel gear, transmission gearing from said countershaft to said take-up beam, a radially extending weighted arm pivoted coaxially with said counter-shaft, a bevel pinion ournaled on said arm and meshing with said bevel gears, a detent device preventing backward rotation of said loose bevel gear, and means actuated by said weighted arm on its rising movement for rendering inoperative said first-named transmission gearing.

5. In a warp take-up mechanism for looms, the combination with a take-up beam, and a drive shaft, of a counter-shaft, a pair of bevel gears, one loose and the other fast on said counter-shaft, transmission gearing from said drive shaft to said loose bevel gear, transmission gearing from said counter-shaft to said take-up beam, a radially extending weighted arm pivoted coaxially with said counter-shaft, a bevel pinion journaled on said arm and meshing with said bevel gears, a detent device preventing backward rotation of said loose bevel gear, and means actuated by said weighted arm on its rising and falling movement respectively rendering said first-named transmission gearing inoperative and operative.

6. In a warp take-up mechanism for looms, the combination with a take-up beam, and a drive. shaft, of a counter-shaft, a pair of bevel gears, one loose and the other fast on said counter-shaft, a gear loose on said drive shaft, a clutch for engaging said gear with said drive shaft, a clutch shifter, a gear fast withsaid loose bevel gear driven by said first-named gear, transmission gearing from said counter-shaft to said take-up beam, a radially extending weighted arm pivoted on said counter-shaft between said bevel gears, a bevel pinion journaled on said arm and meshing with said bevel gears, a detent device preventing backward rotation of said loose bevel gear, and means actuated by said weighted arm on its rising and falling movements respectively actuating said clutch shifter in opposite directions.

7. In a warp take-up mechanism for looms, the combination with a take-up beam, and a drive shaft, of a counter-shaft, a pair of bevel gears, one loose and the other fast on said counter-shaft, a gear loose on said drive shaft, a clutch for engaging said gear with said drive shaft, a clutch shifter, a gear fast with said loose bevel gear driven by said first-named gear, transmission gearing from said counter-shaft to said take-up beam, a radially extending weighted arm pivoted on said counter-shaft between said bevel gears, a bevel pinion journaled on said arm and meshing with said bevel gears, a detent device preventing backward rotation of said loose bevel gear, a rod connected to said clutch shifter, a lateral arm on said weighted arm formed with an opening in its free end through which said rod extends, and contact collars on said rod on opposite sides respectively of said lateral arm.

JOHN M. GRAEF. 

